Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the expenditure of $60,000 to engage the professional services of Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program (CSCI) for the purpose of promoting business, government, and educational exchanges between our Sister Cities who are Dresden In Germany, Genoa in Italy, Hefei in China, Herzliya in Israel, Odense in Demark, Seville in Spain and Tainan in Taiwan for long-term economic development. City funding was provided in 2006 to support staffing and administrative costs of CSCI. CSCI has worked diligently to raise capital for its overall operation but additional support is required to maintain a full-time executive director and to defray miscellaneous administrative costs.
FISCAL IMPACT: $60,000 in 2007 General Fund monies has been allocated for Sister Cities International.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc.; to authorize the expenditure of $60,000 from the 2007 General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($60,000)
Body
WHEREAS, the Sister Cities International Program promotes business, government, and educational exchanges between out Sister Cities; and
WHEREAS, our current Sister Cities are Dresden, Germany; Genoa, Italy; Hefei, China; Herzliya. Israel; Odense, Denmark; Seville, Spain; Tainan, Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, the funding for this project will be used for administrative costs associated with the Sister Cities International Inc. Program; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is necessary to allow Sister Cities International, Inc. to provide services to our Sister Cities uninterrupted; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc., thereby continuing the City's effort to promote cultural and economic exchanges with the City's existing sister cities and to explore the possibility of recruiting new sister cities worldwide, NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is authorized to enter into an agreement for the purpose of engaging professional services of the Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc
Section 2. That the expenditure of $60,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division 44-02, General Fund, Fund 010, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3336, OCA Code 440314.
Section 3. That this contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959 as amended.
Section 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect an be in force from the after is approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.